A Tangled Web
by Reo Star
Summary: ****CHAPTERS 4& 5 UP**** Uh, Oh. Looks like the DBZ world has changed, things sure are different. But it looks like someone else doesn't like it. So whoes the one going on the killing spree? Wait 'till you find out.
1. Chapter 1: The Party

DBZ  
  
A Tangled Web  
  
By: PiccoloPhan  
  
1 Chapter 1  
  
For Gohan, it was a perfectly normal day. Chichi had called at about seven in the morning to find out if he was planning to have grand children at any time. He had argued that he and Videl only wanted some time to themselves. Later, at about three in the afternoon, Goku had said hi, and cleaned out their fridge. Videl had complained all the way to the grocery store.  
  
"Gohan, your father eats us out of house and home. I under stand he is a Sayian, but even you don't eat that much."  
  
Now, Gohan was worn out, and all he wanted to do was sleep. He looked at the clock by his bed. "Five? Jesus Christ, I'm getting old."  
  
He lay down on the bed and stared up at the celing. He could hear Videl in the living room, watching one of those soap operas. Gohan closed his eyes and fell asleep.  
  
He woke up to the sound of the alarm clock. Slowly he rolled over and checked the time. "Nine? Damn. I must've been tired last night. Gohan checked the space next to him. There was Videl. She rolled over and opened her eyes, smiling at Gohan.  
  
"Good-Morning."  
  
Gohan smiled.  
  
"Good-Morning babes."  
  
He kissed her, then sat up, and rubbed his face. Videl put her arms around Gohan.  
  
"You were great last night."  
  
She kissed him on the cheek, and left for the bathroom. Gohan watched her leave.  
  
'Last night?' he thought. 'I don't remember anything about last night. I thought I slept the whole night.'  
  
Videl re-entered the room.  
  
"Hey Gohan, I've got some stuff to do today. Chichi is taking me shopping. Are the boys coming over?" Gohan thought a moment then breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"I nearly forgot today was Sunday. Yeah, the guys are gunna come over to watch the game."  
  
Gohan stood up; one important thought crossed his mind.  
  
"Do we have enough food?" Videl nodded.  
  
"Yes, I made sure of it."  
  
Videl left at around nine-thirty. Gohan set up the last bowl of chips when the doorbell rang. It was his father and Krillian.  
  
"Hey Gohan, how's the family coming along, ah?"  
  
Goku playfully elbowed Gohan in the stomach.  
  
"Well, actually, I can't remember."  
  
Gohan led them to the living room, where he had the pre-game show playing. The doorbell rang again. This time is was Vegeta.  
  
"Hey Vegeta, glad to decided to come."  
  
Vegeta grunted.  
  
"Don't flatter yourself kid, I'm here for the free food and beer."  
  
Vegeta laughed, putting and arm around Gohan's neck.  
  
"Ah, I'm only playin'. So tell me, how's Satan's daughter, if ya know what I mean."  
  
Gohan rolled his eyes; Vegeta had really changed a lot over these last few years.  
  
"Well, Vegeta I've got a story for ya, but we gotta wait for the others."  
  
Vegeta sighed.  
  
"Alright, I'll wait. Oh, hey, that reminds me. Yamcha said he couldn't make it, he's got a date, or some thing."  
  
Gohan nodded his head. Vegeta made his way to the guys, and Gohan went to the kitchen to check on the hot wings. He heard a roar of laughter arouse from the living room, Vegeta was telling one of his "Bulma" jokes. Gohan had to laugh. Vegeta used to be the one guy you didn't want at a party, but now, it just wasn't a party without him.  
  
Halfway into the first quarter of the game, the doorbell rang. Gohan shook his head as he got up. "That would be Piccolo, late as usual."  
  
Vegeta laughed.  
  
"Ah, the guy just likes to make an entrance."  
  
Gohan opened the door, a little nervous. He hadn't spoken to Piccolo in about six years. When he opened the door, he almost didn't recognize Piccolo. There stood a guy who looked worn out, he didn't even stand up straight, he slumped. What's more, he wasn't wearing his usual black GI, with cape and turban. Instead, he had on a black sweater and a pair of very faded jeans. Gohan looked down, and blinked in amazement. Was Piccolo carrying a…diaper bag? Just then, Gohan noticed the mini-van in his drive, but before Gohan could say anything, a familiar voice called to him.  
  
"Gohan! Hey, Bro!"  
  
Gohan looked past Piccolo.  
  
"Goten!"  
  
Goten pushed past Piccolo, and so did Trunks.  
  
"Goten, Trunks! Wow, you guys, this is a surprise!"  
  
Two young ladies pushed in as well, one went to Trunks, the other to Goten. Goten introduced everyone. "Gohan, this is my girl, Magami, and that one with Trunks is Tai."  
  
Gohan said hi, and the four of them went to the living room. Gohan followed them half way, when he heard another woman's voice, he turned.  
  
"Uh who's this?"  
  
Piccolo introduced her, his voice quiet, as though he had a sore throat.  
  
"This, is Reo. My wife."  
  
Gohan nearly fell over with shock.  
  
"That would explain a lot, no wait. It wouldn't. What's with the diaper bag and the mini-van?"  
  
Piccolo smiled.  
  
"Kit, James, Kyle, Lilly! Get you hides in here."  
  
Four kids came running to the door.  
  
"Kit and James are three, they're twins. Kyle is five, and Lilly is seven. Can we come in now?"  
  
Gohan nodded his head. He didn't know if it was possible for Nameks to even have kids, let a lone how they have kids, and he was pretty sure he never wanted to find out either. Gohan escorted the couple to the living room, and sat down in a chair by the TV.  
  
The day went by rather quickly. Gohan had spent the whole day worrying about his mom. She had been acting strange ever since Goku had left her. Gohan couldn't really blame Goku, Chichi was always on his case. He wandered were his dad's new girl was. She was pretty, but he thought that Goku took her for granted some times. Odori, yeah that was her name. It seemed everyone had a new girl. Goten had Magami, Trunks had Tai, Goku and Odori, Piccolo had Reo, and Vegeta had…well…what-ever-her-name-was. It seemed he was the only one who stuck with his original, with the exception of Piccolo. Now, everyone was gone, and Gohan was stuck cleaning up. Videl had come home, and had gone to bed sick, Gohan prayed she wasn't pregnant. He didn't want kids, not after what he saw with Piccolo and Reo. Those two had no time together, it was really sad. Gohan liked his life the way it was, he and Videl didn't have to wait or rush when they wanted to get intimate. They just went for it, no restriction, and no limits. Having a kid could, no would, take all that away. When he had finished, Gohan climbed in bed and watched as Videl slept. She turned and looked at him. That look she gave him, he had seen it today. Yeah, he remembered, it was the same look Reo had given Piccolo. It had love in it, but it wasn't the same look you get from a girl friend, or even from a new wife. It was the look of a mother. Reo had told Gohan she was pregnant and afraid to tell Piccolo, that was right before the look came out. Now, Videl was looking at him like that, with love and concern. She was pregnant. 


	2. Chapter 2: The Dream

1 Chapter 2  
  
Gohan woke up. Videl was on the phone, she seemed upset. Gohan sat up and walked into the kitchen, Videl hung up the phone and turned to him with tears in her eyes.  
  
"Videl what's wrong?"  
  
Videl put her arms around Gohan.  
  
"Gohan, I think you should sit down."  
  
She went to the living room; Gohan followed, and sat on the couch.  
  
"Gohan, your father found…oh, Jesus. Your father found Odori dead in the living room, at about six. The police say it was your ma."  
  
Gohan stared blankly at Videl. Had she really just said that Odori was dead, and that Chichi was responsible?  
  
"Videl, are you sure?"  
  
Videl nodded her head.  
  
"Oh, Gohan. I never would have thought Chichi could…she was just telling me how she was over Goku, she even had a new boyfriend."  
  
Gohan thought this over, Chichi had never said anything about a new boyfriend, but then again he didn't know about Reo, Magami, and Tai either.  
  
"Is dad ok?"  
  
Videl shook her head.  
  
"No he's so upset, he refuses to believe that Chichi would do it, and he doesn't want to believe Odori's dead either."  
  
Gohan got up; he had to speak with his father, even if it killed him to do so.  
  
Gohan slipped on his pants and shirt, feeling guilty. He really couldn't figure out why. Maybe if he had spent more time with his mother, or if he hadn't cut her short when she called yesterday. He knew Goku would be a wreck, and he really didn't care to see him like that, but he wasn't going to let his father down the way he had done to Chichi.  
  
Gohan arrived at his old home in a matter of minutes. The place was surrounded by cop cars and police tape. As he stepped through the door to the house, Gohan felt as though he was there only yesterday. Inside Goten and Trunks were trying to offer their support, but with no luck. Goku was sitting in the middle of the floor, knees up to his chest, and arms wrapped around his body, rocking back and forth. "Dad, are you ok?"  
  
Gohan called quietly.  
  
It was so silent in the house that, as soft as his words were, they stabbed the air and hung for what seemed like forever. Goku looked up.  
  
"Gohan, no. You, did it. You killed her, you drove her away. Just like you did to Chichi. Always whining, you and your brother. You took her away from me, you took her away!"  
  
Two police officers grabbed Goku by the arms and dragged him to a squad car. Gohan followed them. Out side it was raining. As the cops dragged him off, Goku screamed threats and insults at Gohan.  
  
"You, how could you! You killed her! You killed her! You killed her!"  
  
Gohan stood and watched as the cop cars drove off. The rain hit the ground hard and puddles formed where Goku had stepped in the mud. Gohan still stood, unbelieving.  
  
When Gohan got home, Videl ran to him.  
  
"Oh, Gohan. I heard what happened with Goku. I'm so sorry, it was too much for him to take."  
  
Gohan showed no emotion, he just stood, starring into nothingness.  
  
"Gohan? Gohan, are you ok? Oh, Gohan, don't take what your father said to heart, he didn't know what he was saying. I'm sure had he not…he'd be ok, he wouldn't blame you. Gohan, say something, please. Please, Gohan, please."  
  
Videl fell into Gohan's arms, crying. Gohan looked down.  
  
"Videl, I'm sorry. I shouldn't make you worry like that. I'm fine, or at least I will be, I'm just a little shook up. That's all. Now, dry your tears, and let's go watch TV for a while. Try to take our minds off this whole messy business."  
  
Videl nodded her head and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Gohan took off his wet jacket, and slipped off his shoes. He sat down at the couch and stared at the blank TV screen. Videl walked in, she sat next to him.  
  
"Gohan, I don't think I'm up to watching TV, I think I'll take a nap instead."  
  
Gohan nodded, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Videl left, and Gohan continued to stare at the TV screen.  
  
Gohan woke up, not realizing he had fallen asleep. He looked around, it was dark. Videl had not yet gotten up. He walked to the room to check on her. Slowly, he creaked the old door open and peered in side. He saw a lump, snoring so he closed the door. He heard a noise some where behind him. He turned around, his house looked different. That's when he realized, it wasn't his house he was in. It was his dad's. He heard voices in the kitchen. Cautiously, he walked toward the small dining room, where he could easily see in the kitchen. He saw Odori; she was taking to someone.  
  
"Ya know, it's good to see you. Goku misses talking to you some times. Oh, he doesn't admit it, but he does. So, tell me what was your day like? Did you have fun?"  
  
Gohan got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew what was coming, any moment Chichi would step out, and stab Odori six times in the back, then hit her over the head. Gohan had to stop it.  
  
"Odori, look out!"  
  
He shouted, but Odori didn't hear him. Gohan saw a hand hold a knife above Odori's turned head. The knife swung down. Odori screamed out in pain. A cloth was put over her mouth, and she was stabbed again, and again, and again.  
  
"MOM NO!"  
  
Gohan screamed. Odori fells to her knees, revealing the killer. Gohan put his hand to his mouth.  
  
"No, it's not true, it's not true!"  
  
He was staring strait into his own face.  
  
Gohan watched in horror, as he picked up a rolling pin and beat the begging, pleading Odori to death.  
  
Gohan shot up. He was sitting on the couch in his own home. He looked around, afraid that at any moment, the room would change, and he would have to see it all over again. He leaned forward. Thinking out his dream. The thing that bothered him the most, wasn't the fact that he saw himself beating the life out of the defenseless Odori. No, it was the fact that, event though no one had told him, he clearly knew how she was killed. 


	3. Chapter 3: The Voice

1 Chapter 3  
  
Gohan had slept little after that dream, and had decided to go for an early morning drive. Long ago Gohan had found that he liked driving much more than flying. When he was driving he didn't have to do any actual work, and the radio did help take his mind off things. Things like strange nightmares. It was only seven in the morning, and Gohan still had not eaten anything. Therefore, when he came across a small diner, it was only natural that he stop in.  
  
The diner was decorated in a fifties style, and even the waitresses were dressed to match. It was like taking a time leap. Here in the carefree happiness, Gohan forgot his troubles, and was lost in the soft beat music. "Sir, can I help you?" Gohan looked around dazed, in front of him was a young waitress. "Sir?" Gohan was so entranced by this place he didn't realize he was still standing in front of the door. "Sir, are you ok?" Gohan nodded his head.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine, I'll just have a seat at the bar counter."  
  
This was more to reassure himself rather than the waitress. The waitress shook her head, and went about her daily business.  
  
Gohan sat on one of the blue plastic stools and ordered a coffee and muffin. He sat, trying to think about what his dream meant. Had it meant something at all, or was it just his mind playing cruel tricks with his thoughts? Dreams did that sometimes. They took your thoughts and twisted them into a horrifying reality that was as far away from the truth as a Namek was from a Sayian. And that's what Gohan thought now, it was nothing more then a lie created by his own imagination. He was certain that he didn't kill Odori, but what about how she was killed? He knew that, at least he did in his dream. Gohan knew what he had to do. He had to find out what killed Odori. Then he could rest. He would find she was strangled or fired with a toaster and a bathtub, something like that. Not stabbed, not in the kitchen, and not with a rolling pin.  
  
"Here sir, your coffee and your muffin." Gohan looked down. Suddenly, he wasn't very hungry. He took a few sips of the coffee and a couple bites from his muffin, then paid for them, and left.  
  
Once he stepped outside, Gohan found his troubles again. And the one thing that bothered him the most now was that he couldn't remember anything about the night Odori was killed. All he knew was that he had gone to bed, after cleaning up the mess the guys had left, then laid down hoping Videl wasn't pregnant, even though he knew she was. He remembered falling asleep, but that was it. No dreams, no wake ups in the middle of the night, as far as he knew he had slept like a dead man.  
  
Gohan gulped. 'Dead man? Why do I have to use words like that?'  
  
Gohan blinked his eyes, realizing for the first time he was driving. He had been so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't even remember getting into the car.  
  
'Come on Gohan, get a hold of yourself. You don't wanna end up a street pizza do you.'  
  
'Yes, yes I do.'  
  
Gohan shot up. 'Where the hell did that come from?'  
  
'Come on Gohan stop kidding yourself, you know you want to die, you know it don't you?'  
  
Gohan breathed deep, this voice he was hearing was not his own, but his father's, and it scared him. Why would his father say things like that? Sure he had gone a little mad over Odori, but that was normal.  
  
"It's just my imagination. I'm just a little stressed that's all. Just a little stressed. That's not my dad's voice." He said out loud, as if doing so would make it true.  
  
'Fine believe what you want. But I am real, and you do want to die. Do you know why? Why you want to die, Gohan?'  
  
"Shut-up! I do not want to die!" Gohan pulled the car to the side of the road. He got out, and looked around, expecting to see some dark evil figure waiting for him.  
  
'Still don't know? I'll tell you. You want to die because of what you did to Odori. You don't realize it yet, but you killed her. And there will be others.'  
  
Gohan spun around searching for some unknown person. Someone playing a trick on him, messing with his head. Anyone, anything, just to prove he wasn't going insane.  
  
"I didn't kill anyone. Why would I kill Odori? Or anyone else?"  
  
The voice laughed. It sounded so much like Goku, that it ran chills up Gohan's back.  
  
'Why? Because of the change. You hate change. You don't like that mommy and daddy split up. So you killed her, you little fucker! Now you've been bad, and you must be punished. So you must DIE!'  
  
Gohan fell to his knees, the last word hung in his mind. He looked at his watch.  
  
"Nine am."  
  
Gohan remembered nothing more.  
  
It was around ten-thirty when Gohan had finally came to. He was sitting on the couch watching television, and if that wasn't odd enough, he had found his eyes weren't even closed. They had been open. It was sort of like he just spaced out, and had gone about his business as usual. Videl entered the room, and sat down next to him.  
  
"So, Gohan, is that all you got or are you saving your good stuff for tonight?"  
  
Gohan blinked. What was she talking about? Then it occurred to him that he was in his boxers, and nothing else. Videl was dressed normally, but her hair was messy and her makeup a little smudgy. She looked like she had just been making out with some one. It took Gohan a few moments to realize that he was the one she was "with."  
  
"Gohan, are you ok?"  
  
Gohan nodded.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
Videl left the room.  
  
Gohan stared at the television, confused.  
  
'Damn, how come I'm only a love machine when I blank out? That has got to stop.'  
  
Gohan waited, expecting to hear that voice again. Nothing came.  
  
Gohan now turned his attention to the TV. He flipped through, and stopped on a local news station.  
  
~ A local Mental hospital burned down today, one patient is presumed dead. He placed here only yesterday, after his girlfriend was found…~  
  
Gohan flipped past, he didn't care to hear how crazy other people were. He knew that all on his own. Gohan stopped when he came across a news report on Odori's murder.  
  
~ Police suspect the ex-wife of Son Goku to be the killer. Twenty-six year- old, Odori Nelon was found dead Monday morning, with six stab wounds on her back and an apparent strike to the head. Experts say that Odori was stabbed then beaten with a large rolling pin, found at the crime scene…~  
  
Gohan turned it off, he had been right. He knew how she was killed. Had he done it? Was it him?  
  
'No, I didn't do it. It's impossible.'  
  
Gohan heard the voice rise within him, laughing, mocking him.  
  
'Oh, it's possible all right. She isn't the only one, is she Gohan?'  
  
'What do you mean?'  
  
Gohan found himself talking with this voice, forgetting how crazy he must be to even hear it let alone speak to it.  
  
'You're about to find out, ring-ring, Gohan!"  
  
Ring-Ring  
  
Gohan jumped. It was the phone. He watched as Videl answered it. He almost wanted to stop her, to tell her what had just happened, but something in him said that he would sound crazy, and crazy people can't do anything to stop a murder.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Videl had answered the phone.  
  
"Oh…Oh my God. No…is Vegeta all right? Ok…no I haven't seen her. I'll call if I do…Ok. Bye."  
  
Videl hung up the phone, and put her hand to her mouth. She walked toward Gohan, to give him the news.  
  
"Videl what is it?"  
  
Gohan knew he didn't need to ask, someone was dead. All he needed to know was who, and that he was pretty sure he knew all ready. How he knew this, he couldn't explain, but he did. He knew who was killed, how they were killed, and he even knew who the cops suspected. Who, he further, knew was innocent.  
  
"Gohan, Dominique was found dead, this afternoon, they say it happed at about nine-fifteen. Gohan, they think Bulma is responsible."  
  
Gohan nodded his head; this was not new to him. He had known what had happened before Videl hung up the phone, it just came to him. Like some horrible nightmare, that you know is coming, but there's nothing you can do about it. So now, two were dead, Gohan had no idea who was responsible. The cops thought it was Bulma, the voice in Gohan's head said that he had done it and Videl though Chichi was responsible. How he knew that was a mystery. Videl had said nothing about it, but he knew it just the same. She thought Chichi had done it, but Gohan knew that Bulma would be the one convicted. Yet another bit of information, he had picked up from who-knows-where. 


	4. Chapter 4: A New Death

1 Chapter 4  
  
Gohan arrived at Vegeta's around eleven am, what he found didn't surprise him. Vegeta was sitting on the front porch, he face pale and sick. Gohan stood next to him.  
  
"You gunna be ok?"  
  
Vegeta didn't answer; he only stared at Gohan, blankly. It was the look of a man who won the lottery, then found out he was going to die in two days.  
  
Gohan couldn't look at Vegeta much longer without feeling sick himself; so instead, he walked slowly inside the house.  
  
The cops swarmed the area, along with the press. The murder had taken place in the bedroom, a few hours before Vegeta got home. Vegeta didn't even know she was dead. He had just climbed into bed beside her body at assumed she was asleep. It wasn't until the next morning he discovered he had slept next to a dead woman. That was what Gohan knew. It was more than even the cops knew too. Vegeta had only said he had come home and went to sleep on the couch, then discovered Dominique dead this morning. A lie. A big lie. But who wants to admit to the press he had slept with a corpse, and didn't realize it? Gohan stood in the doorway of Vegeta's bedroom. Dominique's body had been covered with a sheet, no blood. For some reason, Gohan thought that there ought to be blood. Although he knew she had been strangled.  
  
'Gees, I'm going insane. Blood? Why would there be blood?'  
  
Here came that voice again.  
  
'Oh there's blood, you're just not looking hard enough. Turn her over, look at her back. There's blood, lots of blood. But its not hers. Do you know whose it is, Gohan? Do you?'  
  
Gohan stumbled back wards.  
  
"No."  
  
He looked around, realizing he had just spoken out loud. No one had noticed.  
  
'Sure you do. You know whose it is. It's yours, Gohan, it's yours!'  
  
Gohan put his hand to his mouth. He had a very strong urge to puke. Gohan ran out of the house, the press and cops didn't even notice, they just continued with their business. When he reached his car, Gohan collapsed. He didn't even remember opening the door, or driving away. He didn't remember driving to Goten's, or driving home.  
  
It was late when he came to, and Gohan nearly lost his mind when he found out where he was. He was in bed, with Videl. However, this time was different, this time Gohan was in the middle of being a love machine. He looked down and saw Videl, who smiled up at him. Gohan nearly screamed. What the hell had happened to him? He rolled over, and laid on his back.  
  
"Videl, I think I have a problem."  
  
Videl turned over.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
She seemed dazed. As if she had just gotten doped up.  
  
'Who knows maybe she has,' Gohan thought, 'it's not like you can remember anything any way.'  
  
"Videl, I can't remember anything, not since being at Vegeta's this afternoon."  
  
Videl shook her head.  
  
"Gohan, what are you talking about, that wasn't today, that was yesterday."  
  
Gohan sat up.  
  
"What? Jesus! Then it's worse then I thought. Videl, I can't remember anything about today, not since Vegeta's yesterday."  
  
Videl shook her head.  
  
"But you were your normal self, how could you not remember? Today you helped me handle the arrangements for Odori's funeral, then we watched TV, and came to bed."  
  
Gohan closed his eyes, then opened them, expecting to be on the ground by his car in front of Vegeta's place. But nothing changed.  
  
"What about yesterday, after Vegeta's?"  
  
Videl thought hard.  
  
"You came home, then when to Goten's, then you came back home."  
  
Gohan's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.  
  
"Goten's?"  
  
'Magami, shit! She's dead, I know she is!"  
  
Gohan sat up.  
  
"Videl, have you heard from Magami?"  
  
Videl nodded.  
  
"Yes, yesterday, before you went over."  
  
Gohan shook his head. An image of Magami sitting in a bathtub, her throat slit, passed through his head. It was replaced by that evil voice.  
  
'Too late, Gohan. You really need to learn to control these little outbursts of yours. They're getting out of hand, wouldn't you say?'  
  
"Shut-up."  
  
Gohan said this quietly, so Videl would not hear. But he knew what she was thinking.  
  
'He's gone insane, he has. Who was he telling to shut-up? Why was he asking about Magami? What's going on? Black outs? This isn't like Gohan at all.'  
  
Gohan was about to yell at Videl. Yell at her for thinking such things about him. For calling him insane; but that had to wait, the phone rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Videl answered it; Gohan didn't want to hear what he already knew.  
  
"What? But she…Jesus. Will it ever stop?"  
  
There was long pause, during witch time Videl nodded her head.  
  
"Wait…you think…no…impossible…all right, we'll come, but he didn't…no…I don't care…fuck you."  
  
Videl slammed the phone down. Gohan was shocked. Videl never and I mean never, swore, let alone slam any thing. But Gohan knew she had good reason. He knew what was coming. The cops think he did it. Only this time he wasn't sure they were wrong. 


	5. Chapter 5: A Black Day

Chapter 5  
  
  
  
"Gohan, Magami's dead, and…"  
  
Gohan stopped her.  
  
"I know, they think I did it, because I was there last."  
  
Videl fell into Gohan's arms.  
  
That was the last time they saw each other before the court date.  
  
It had been a pleasant day in Satan City, the sun was shining and it was warm and breezy, it was so lovely out, in fact, that one could hardly miss it's beauty. But Gohan did. To him the day was a dark as any other; today the courts would decide if Gohan was responsible for the death of Odori, Magami, and Dominique. It had been a long trial, one that lasted nearly a week, and Gohan's defenses were weak.  
  
"Where were you the night Magami Storm was killed?"  
  
That had been the lawyer's first question.  
  
"I can't remember."  
  
The lawyer nearly fell over with laughter. That statement had made his case even easier.  
  
"You can't remember?"  
  
Gohan had shaken his head.  
  
"Well, had you been drinking?"  
  
"No."  
  
The lawyer had paced back and forth in front of the stand, making Gohan extra nervous.  
  
"So tell me what you do remember, Mr. Gohan"  
  
Gohan thought, it hadn't taken him long.  
  
"I was leaving my friend, Vegeta's house after receiving a call that Dominique had been killed. I left quickly, I couldn't handle it. I remember felling sick and stumbling out to my car, then after that I just sort of blanked out."  
  
The lawyer laughed again.  
  
"You sort of blanked out?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"When did you come to again?"  
  
"In bed the next night."  
  
"So you were passed out for two days?"  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
"What do you mean, 'Not exactly'?"  
  
"Well, my wife said that I had come home after Vegeta's, then I got a call from Magami and went there, and then came back home. Then I had helped my wife with the arrangements for Odori's funeral."  
  
The lawyer had shook his head while looking at the jury, as if to say, 'Do you believe this nut case?'  
  
"But you have no recollection of these events?"  
  
"No."  
  
That was when Gohan had decided he was a goner, but toady his lawyer had sent Gohan to a doctor to see if these 'blank outs' are a medical condition. After being examined, Gohan was told nothing other than to go to court, and hope everything was all right.  
  
Now Gohan was walking to the courthouse (it would be a risk to fly and the cops had taken his car) in a very troubled state of mind. He wasn't sure he would be found innocent, and if he were, would it be the right thing? Was he guilty? Had he committed those crimes? He was beginning to think he had, who knows what kind of things he had done during those black outs.  
  
'I've got to stop blaming myself, I didn't do those things. I'll be found not guilty, and then I'll go home. That's what's going to happen.'  
  
'Oh, is that what you think? That you're innocent? Think again my friend.'  
  
Gohan stopped, that voice had come back. He thought he was rid of it, but it came back.  
  
'No, no, no. It's just my imagination. Everything will work out. I'm going to be fine.'  
  
So Gohan thought.  
  
'Oh, so you want to get off scott-free? Ok, but you can't do it on your own; you'll need me. Let me take over, Gohan. Let me take over. I'll pull you through.'  
  
Gohan felt his knees turn to mush. He plopped down on the sidewalk, closed his eyes, and remembered no more.  
  
It was around ten in the evening when Gohan came to. He was sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in his hand, and Videl asleep in his lap.  
  
'Christ, what happened this time?'  
  
But Gohan already knew. His other half had done it. Had set him free. But what now? Where does he go from here?  
  
'Maybe I should just go with the flow a little longer. See how it all turns out, maybe I didn't do it after all, and maybe that voice in side me isn't so bad, it did save my hide.'  
  
'Aww how touching. I think I'm getting' teary-eyed. Grow up ya mama's boy! You're not innocent, you killed those girls, oops, but there's more! You had a little black out today, and well, well, well. It looks like our friend Tai drank some terrible stuff this after noon. And you should be hearing from the fuzz in, oh I'd say, 3, 2, 1…'  
  
Knock, Knock.  
  
Videl woke up, and headed for the door.  
  
"Hello, can I help you?"  
  
These weren't just cops, they were FBI agents. But why FBI agents? They had no business here. Then Gohan knew it. Tai was an under cover FBI agent. She had been assi- no she had asked for this case.  
  
'BINGO! Looks like our friend Tai got to close to the truth, but I thought you liked her Gohan? Oh, well you can't make an omelet with out breaking a few eggs, right?'  
  
"Miss, we're looking for your husband, is he home?"  
  
"Yes, but he's had a rough day, maybe another time."  
  
"We're here because Special Agent Tai was found dead a few moments ago at a night club."  
  
Videl nearly fell over.  
  
'Oh, you're first public crime. Congrats, Gohan. This deserves a celebration, wouldn't you say?'  
  
"What happened to her?"  
  
Videl asked.  
  
"She was poisoned."  
  
Videl shook her head.  
  
"Oh, Gohan you know how don't you? She wasn't just poisoned; she was frozen from the inside out. Wasn't it in the Cocktail you gave her?'  
  
Gohan closed his eyes, trying to escape his thoughts. Now they came to him in visual form.  
  
He saw Tai; she was in a nightclub, talking with some one. He couldn't see who, but his mind told him it was himself. He saw Tai finish her cocktail, and  
  
(himself)  
  
the stranger leave. His mind flashed to a vision of Tai's eyes bulging out of her head. Her hands grasping her throat as she gasped for air. He saw some guy try to give her the hime-lick, and he thought he heard her voice  
  
'You numb-nuts, I'm not choking, I'm being frozen. My windpipe is freezing, and you're not helping! Asshole!'  
  
but it wasn't her voice, it was her thoughts. He could hear her thoughts.  
  
Tai's fingers turned blue, her face turned blue, and her eyes went dark. He watched as the dark shadow of death consumed her. Freezing her into a cruel representation of a wax dummy. Her eyes glazed over with a crystal blue cloud, and her lips turned bright red, but stayed soft. Ironically, she looked peaceful, beautiful, and graceful, like a figure skater.  
  
Gohan opened his eyes; he breathed out and could see his breath. He was freezing cold. He turned and saw Videl still talking with the cops.  
  
"No, Gohan has been here since after the court hearing at three this afternoon."  
  
The cops left. Gohan breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn't done it after all. He didn't kill Tai. He had been home. Videl closed the door, and turned to Gohan. There was something in her eyes that made his shiver. One thought, one piece of knowledge, crossed his mind.  
  
'She lied.' 


End file.
